Ron Paul takes on FOX News

Even though he is polling higher than some of the invited Republican candidates and broke the record for one-day fundraising two weeks ago, FOX News continues to marginalize Texas Republican Ron Paul and has not invited him to participate in an upcoming Republican debate on FOX News Sunday 1/6/08, right before the New Hampshire primary. Paul and his campaign are understandably furious and accuse the supposed news channel of trying to suppress his message.

" Ron Paul said the decision to exclude him from a debate on Fox News Sunday the weekend before the New Hampshire Primary is proof that the network "is scared" of him.

"They are scared of me and don't want my message to get out, but it will," Paul said in an interview at a diner here. "They are propagandists for this war and I challenge them on the notion that they are conservative."

FOX has misrepresented his popularity for many months now. As for suppressing his message, host Gretchen Carlson asked the candidate for "one word answers" on FOX and Friends recently - nothing complex, mind you, just Iraq, mainstream media, immigration and the so-called war on terror.

No matter what you think of Ron Paul or his platform, selectively omitting him from the discussion smacks of censorship and should be denounced. This is an extreme example of media gatekeeping and the more consolidation that's allowed, the more the few corporate owners will get to choose what you can and cannot hear. This is destructive to democracy and the whole reason News Hounds was started.

Write to fns@foxnews.com with your comments. "Best political coverage"? Bah!